National News

Surterre Properties® Expands International Internet Marketing Program

Walking barefoot on the beach, taking a siesta seaside to the sound of crashing waves, enjoying the pleasures of a perpetually temperate climate - the iconic Southern California lifestyle truly offers it all, and Surterre Properties® continues to make this coveted existence an attainable reality for luxury homebuyers across the globe through their recently expanded International Internet Marketing Program.

A leading luxury real estate brokerage specializing in Orange County’s coastal communities, Surterre first addressed the international demand for Southern California luxury properties through their partnership with LuxuryRealEstate.com.

By…

In honor of the brave men and women that have served and continue to serve our country, locations throughout Orange County are offering a variety of deals for Veteran’s Day.

The O.C. Register has compiled a list of restaurants, stores and services that are doling out discounts today- some for everyone, and some that are limited to veterans and military only.

For Everyone:
- Visit Fashion Island in Newport Beach for Veteran’s Day sales at Macy’s, PacSun and Kenneth Cole.
- Head on over to the Irvine Spectrum to for a sale at Jos. A. Bank.
- Enjoy free admission to the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, where Julie Nixon Eisenhower and David Eisenhower will be signing their new book.
- Take a free stand-up paddling lesson in Dana Point off Bay Beach.

For Veterans…

With National Energy Awareness Month upon us, environmental experts and eco-amateurs alike can go green and save green by improving energy efficiency at home.

For residents of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, Newport Coast and surrounding Orange County areas, adopting energy saving practices and investing in efficient appliances will help to reduce your overall energy use and household utility expenses to boot.

Green Your Routine:
• Close up cracks around doors and windows with caulk or foam
• Adjust your water heater to 120 degrees
• Paint your roof white
• Use permanent furnace and AC filters
• Check that all electric devices are turned off before you go to bed
• Review your utility bills to confirm that you are only charged for the electricity…

In honor of National Public Lands Day, volunteers across the country will be pitching in to tidy up their local parks Saturday, September 25th.

Mother Nature Network reports that last year, 150,000 people were on hand to help out, collectively removing an estimated 900,000 pounds of trash, planting approximately 100,000 trees, shrubs and native plants and building/maintaining nearly 1,320 miles of trails, according to the National Public Lands Day website.

Tomorrow, Orange County residents can join the environmental effort by volunteering at the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach. Participants will be helping to clear brush, mulch trails, plant native grass plugs and construct protective fencing.

Can’t make it out to Huntington Beach…

Green building practices and policies have become increasingly significant in the real estate market as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification program continues to influence a worldwide shift towards eco-friendly construction.

NPR reports that, despite being a historically slow-changing industry, green building currently makes up nearly one-third of new construction in the U.S.—up from 2 percent in 2005.

Andy Hoffman, a professor of sustainable enterprise at the University of Michigan, acknowledges the USGBC as a prominent force behind the escalating demand. “They created a cachet around the LEED certification. And they got people to want to do this as a marketing pitch — and I think that was really a stroke of genius to get a rather…

Surterre’s “Glass Half Full” Perspective   

We've put together this week's real estate related news for the week ending 5.30.2010. If you are looking for a weekly round-up about Orange County real estate, sign up for our RSS feed to receive instant updates regarding real estate in all Orange County cities including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach.

“TRENDS…APRIL O.C. HOME PRICES AND SALES COMPARED TO APRIL 2009”
Prices
14.8 % Home resale sales rose
39.9 % New homes rose
16.6% Condo resale rose
 
Sales Volume
10.1 % Home resale sales rose
76.1 % New homes rose
29.1% Condo resale rose
 
Sales volume rose from 2,541 a year ago to 3,003
Median price rose from $385,000 to $435,000
-Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register Business…

National Park Week